The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1887-12-01
NAMES TRAPPERs.
Daring Hunters yFho 10 Not US Liqus
and Never TIE.

Daring Hunters who DO Net Uae Alqlof
and Never Lie.
at nav seem strange. " said a dealer
n furs and skins. "but the meekest and
mildest men ever came in contact
with are the hunters and trappers OF
the Maine woods. meet scores Of
them every season. and have for years.
for pay from go. coo 70 $4,000 for
lurs and skins In Maine annually. and
twO-lhirds Of them obtain direct from
the hands of the trappers. ] can't un-
derstand how il IS that they are 50 meek
and mild. FOR you would hardly expect
to find such characteristics among men
who spend three-quarters Of their lives
in the deepest wilderness. living vir-
tually like sayages. They live on fat
pork. game and fish. Every thing
they cook. from the daintiest trout
or bird TO the finest kind Of Wild
meat. seems 70 be used simply as
something to give different flavor % the
pork. for that always goes into the dish
in much larger proportion than does
the morsel which the novice would
naturally think would be the choice
portion Of the meal The diet Of these
rugged Woodsmen certainly does not
tend 10 make them gentle. and so 1 can
account for their popularity only by
the fact which struck me rs the strang-
est and most incredible thing yet-they
don't drink. Il is well known that no
hunter nr tIapper in the comparatively
tame regions Of New York and Penn
sylyai.ia ever think Of venturing into
the woods a distance Of i've miles from
home without capacious flask Of some
kind Of liquor to protect him from the
cold. But no stimulaut stronger than
rnfiee-aud much Of that made out Of
burnt beans is CARRIED hy Maine
hunters and trappsrs. although they
plunge into wilderness that Is
wilderness. fifty miles or more from
home. 10 be gone weeks al a time, in
weather the rigors Of which are I'M
known to our hackwOudsme1.
In all nv communication With these
men. in their forest camps and at their
home hresides. | have met very few
who accepted my invitation 20 take
drink from NV flask. aud they were all
,ld-timers. On my first trip TO the
Milne woods passed my bottle around
in n cabin where half a dozen Young
trappcrs were conerrgaied. Only one
Of them accepted my invitation TO have
something. and he evidently did il out
If courtesy. aud. have no doubt inn
mediately regretted his Politeness. lie
took but one swallow. and at once be-
gan to gasp and s,rangle. although the
liquor was the best old rye whisky that
ever a man put his lips to. The water
ran out Of the uns0phisiicated young
wOOdman's ewes in a stream. and when
he recovered his breath 50 that he could
speak. he handel the flask back aud
thanked me. and said he didn't care for
any more. Il was his first, and dare
say his last. taste of'intOXicating liquor.
81 notice still another and very sur
prising peculiarly Of the Maine trap
pers and hunters. one for which our
home Nimrods are by no means noted,
This was their indispoSiiion. as a class.
to dilate upon individual power in the
chase, or 10 tax the credulity. if not the
patience. Of the listener with tales Of
hair-breadth escapes from wild beasts
after terrible hand TO hand combats.
But they have their many adventures,
as every one must know who is aware
Of the life they lead. l see many All
ugly scar on hunters ! meet in the
Maine woods. and know Of many 4 sug-
costing trophy in their possession which
in themselves are eloquent If some
perils escaped aud fierce beasts over
come. 1t is only by tact, skillful in
quiry and suggestion that now and then
some narrative Is obtained.
The trapping grounds Of Maine, like
the numbering regions. are rapidly mar
rowing down to small dimensions. and
every year the trappers are compelled
10 20 further and further away. They
start for the woods early in the
fall, loaded down with their traps
and guns. and lose no time from
that on till the deep SHOWS and
heavy ice drive their game into
winter quarters or make trapping next
to impossible. The headwaters Of the
Androscoggin. the Penobscot. the Ken
nebec, the Pas,adumkeag and the ST.
John, aud the wild regions drained BY
their numerous tributaries. are now the
chief sources Of supply in Maine. Dead
river. Magolloway and Grand lake are
notable centers from which the trappers
start out. The furs are purchased prin-
cipallv in Lewiston. Brewer. Auburn
and other large places, and buyers are
constantly travelling through the back
woods region gathering up pelts. The
trappers. as a general thing. though.
prefer to have a regular customer in
some one large company, stationed in
one Of the large towns. to whom they
can forward the result of.their seasons
work in bulk. and receive the market
price without being Subjected 10 the
dickering and sharp dealing II the
travelling BUYERS. Limited rs the fur
bearing territory Of Maine has become.
her trappers reap an annual harvest
from their work OF about 500. OOO. ~
y. Mail and EJpTeSs.